A FOUR-year-old boy was killed in a freak accident at a York caravan park, an inquest heard.

Benjamin Luke Blezard died when he rode his bike into the path of a moving caravan, at the Caravan Club in Terry Avenue, next to Rowntree Park.

Benjamin's mum, Carol, sobbed as she heard how doctors at York Hospital tried desperately to revive him, giving him nine litres of blood and two lots of CRP before he finally lost his fight for life, almost 12 hours after the accident.

An inquest into his death at New Earswick Folk Hall yesterday heard how Ben, from Normanton, Wakefield, was on holiday with his mum and dad, Gary, when the accident happened on August 30 last year. He and his brother were riding their BMX bikes around the campsite at about 6.30pm.

Ben cycled along a footpath surrounded by high hedges and, seeing a Toyota 4x4 drive past, thought he was safe to turn into an access road - but unknown to him the vehicle was towing a 7ft caravan, which knocked him to the floor.

Ben had been wearing a crash helmet, elbow pads and knee pads at the time of the crash, but he suffered severe internal injuries. He died at about 6am the following day.

Ashley Wilkes, from Hull, had been driving his 4x4 at about five miles an hour and was towing the caravan which struck Ben.

Mr Wilkes and his wife, Deborah, had just arrived at the campsite for a short holiday when the tragedy happened.

He told how the child had not been visible as he drove along the access road, because the view was obscured by a high hedge.

He said: "I heard a very loud bang. Initially I thought it was a football hitting the caravan. That was my first reaction."

He got out of the car and saw the bike under the caravan and Benjamin on the floor behind it. A man and woman had already gone to his aid.

"I was bewildered because I never though for one moment someone had been under the caravan. I asked if he was okay. I didn't think he was as badly injured as he was."

Witness Gary Young, who had been staying at the caravan club at the time, said children were regularly seen cycling around the site.

He said in a statement: "To be honest, I feared this type of accident would happen."

The inquest heard how there was a "no cycling" sign at the entrance to the footpath, but even if he had been able to see it, it would have meant nothing to Ben.

Another witness, Christopher Kellaway, said: "The driver of the vehicle had no chance of avoiding the child."

Ben's family described him as "a really lively and fun-loving little boy".

They said in a statement: "Despite his short life, we have lots of very happy memories of Benjamin as he lived his life to the full. You just could not have asked for a nicer son and brother.

"He was a very special little boy and he will always be in our thoughts and in our hearts."


Measures to stop another tragedy

MEASURES have been put in place to stop a similar tragedy from happening at the campsite.

Stephen Adamthwaite, a health and safety officer at City of York Council, which is responsible for the site, said a chicane had since been placed at either end of the footpath, the speed limit had been reduced from ten miles per hour to five miles an hour, the hedges had been cut back and additional signs put in place to "to stop a similar tragic accident from happening again".

He said caravan sites across the country had also been made aware of what had happened and asked to implement similar changes.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Donald Coverdale said: "It is reassuring to know that some good has come from this awful tragedy."

Mr Wilkes, who was driving the vehicle which struck Ben, said: "Had these measures already been in place we wouldn't all be going through the torment we are going through now."